Slow growth predicted for UK PCB marketNews & Analysis 4/1/2003 Post a commentThe market for printed circuit boards in the UK increased overall between 1998-2002 with annual sales last year of £862.1m, according to research from Market and Business Development (MBD) Ltd. Despite the market declining 18 percent between 2000/01 with sales of £711.0m, it represents an increase of almost 30 percent compared to the market value during 1998 of £550m.

UMC starts 300-mm chip-making at Tainan, says reportNews & Analysis 4/1/2003 Post a commentUnited Microelectronics Corp. said Tuesday (April 1, 2003) that its most advanced manufacturing lines at its 8-inch wafer plants are running at full capacity, and that this has prompted the company to activate production at a 300-mm wafer fab, according to a Dow Jones report.

SARS virus hits high-tech workers in Hong KongNews & Analysis 4/1/2003 Post a commentWorkers at high-tech firms based in Hong Kong are being warned to take extra precautions not to put themselves at risk from the potentially fatal respiratory virus, SARS that is spreading across Asia and other parts of the world.

NEC attempting to sell Scotland fabNews & Analysis 4/1/2003 Post a commentNEC Electronics Corp. is attempting to find a buyer for its six-year-old wafer fab in Livingston, Scotland. The fab was originally built to produce DRAMs, but two years ago NEC announced plans to end DRAM production there and instead make system-on-a-chip and logic ICs.

Silicon Access upgrades software for routers/switchesNews & Analysis 4/1/2003 Post a commentFabless communications chip company Silicon Access Networks has released version 2.3.0 of its iFlow Programming Environment (iPE) and iFlow Reference Software (iRS. The software upgrades will enable easier development and configuration of the company's hardware and software solutions for network routers and switches.

In conjunction with unveiling of EE Times’ Silicon 60 list, journalist & Silicon 60 researcher Peter Clarke hosts a conversation on startups in the electronics industry. One of Silicon Valley's great contributions to the world has been the demonstration of how the application of entrepreneurship and venture capital to electronics and semiconductor hardware can create wealth with developments in semiconductors, displays, design automation, MEMS and across the breadth of hardware developments. But in recent years concerns have been raised that traditional venture capital has turned its back on hardware-related startups in favor of software and Internet applications and services. Panelists from incubators join Peter Clarke in debate.